Dej Loaf on the Family Secret Behind Her Showstopping Coachella Hair

For those that have been hanging on Dej Loaf’s every last lyrical flex since her breakout single “Try Me” took the Internet—and Drake’s Instagram—by storm in 2014, the 27-year-old Detroit rapper’s debut album, Liberated, can’t come soon enough. Due out later this year, the record is poised to be one of the most promising of 2018, with singles “Changes” and “Big Ole Boss” already serving up a full track list’s worth of swagger. Not to mention, a slated guest spot from soul wunderkind Leon Bridges, whom she’ll share the stage with tomorrow during her first-ever Coachella performance.

“I’m not holding back, I’m really going there,” says Dej (born Deja Trimble) of Liberated’s illuminating, diary-style verses and next-level production, courtesy of the likes of Detail (who created that hook on Beyoncé and Jay Z’s “Drunk in Love”) and rising hip-hop pianist Zaytoven. “I’m using my voice and letting everyone in more than ever [before]. The world is going to [further] understand who Deja is.” And her elevated self-expression isn’t just manifesting in her music.

Hair, says Dej, has always been an integral part of her life. Growing up in Detroit, the “hair capital of the world,” her mother, Latrice Hudson, was a stylist who opted to take clients in their kitchen in lieu of a salon. “It was a homegrown situation,” she explains, adding that the soulful croons of Anita Baker and Mary J. Blige would often soundtrack braiding sessions. “There was always hair and music going on in my house.” And while Dej was all about the latter, her older sister Des gravitated the former; these days, Des is the brainchild behind Dej’s more experimental hair looks, from a razor-sharp neon yellow bob to slicked rope braids cast in white thread or ornamental gold clasps.

“I had short hair for so long,” DeJ explains. “I wanted to grow it back out and see what we could do. I let Des freestyle and as long as I’m comfortable, I’m good.” Her most striking look to date? It has yet to be seen, but has distinct Ike Turner bowl-cut vibes and will be unveiled in a forthcoming music video, she promises. And having learned the importance of keeping hair healthy at a young age, she relies on her mom’s “old-school” treatments, such as Murray’s Pomade for edge control and hot oil masks for nourishment, in between styles. “If I’m not working and I’m just chilling out, I like to wear my natural hair and just let it breathe,” she adds.

While striking hair statements have become the performer’s calling card, a glowing complexion and illuminated lips are also an important part of the equation. “I just love what Rihanna has going on,” she says, name-checking Fenty Beauty’s dusty rose Gloss Bomb and Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in shimmery yellow-gold Trophy Wife as the all-stars of her makeup bag. And then there’s coconut oil, her holy grail elixir. “It works for everything, from taking off my makeup to keeping my skin moisturized,” she says.

As for the kind of inside-outside self-care that comes in handy during high-energy performance times? It’s two baths a day—one when she wakes up, another before bed—with candles, bath bombs, incense, Dr. Teal’s Lavender Epsom Salts, and jazz playing, or bust. “They keep me energized, moisturize my body, and help me sleep better at night,” she says of the ritual she may or may not be able to see through as she braves the desert grounds of Coachella. But rest assured, Dej says, it won’t dull her shine. “We’re gonna be onstage looking fly!”